Gamit ang foreign endorsers para magkaroon ng brand recognition sa
loob at labas ng bansa ang lokal na fashion stores. Ayon kay Alex
Mendoza, Penshoppe brand director, “We are aiming to create a brand that
can proudly be sold around the world. We have improved on our products
and stores to make them more international in quality. Now that the back
end is fixed, we can communicate it to the market. And getting
international superstars gives a new sparkle to the brand”
(http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/49631/battle-of-celeb-endorsers-heats-up–who-will-blink-first).

“We directly pin the blame on Aquino’s relentless drive to retool all
services under the Public Private Partnership, which is really just
privatization.” – GabrielaBy JANESS ANN J. ELLAO Bulatlat.com

MANILA – With prices of basic commodities going up unabated, the last
thing Filipino families need is another spike in electric rates. But
the government recently allowed an increase in electric charges.
Mothers,who bear the brunt of having to budget their meager income
and make sure it covers their daily needs, were at the forefront of the
protests against the increase.

Nida Nañoz, 52, a resident of sitio Militar in Project 8, Quezon
City, said she remembered how dismayed she was upon seeing this month’s
electric bill, now amounting to $70 from only $23. She shares a house
with her three siblings and their families and now they are at a loss on
where to get money to pay for their bill.
Her husband Solomon, 52, only earns $4 to $6 a day as a pineapple vendor.

Under such predicament, Nañoz expressed her dissatisfaction on how
President Benigno “Noynoy” C. Aquino III is handling the welfare of poor
Filipino families. “At first, he said that the people are his boss.
Where is that promise now?”

The Energy Regulatory Commission has recently approved the petition
of Manila Electric Company (Meralco) to allow the maximum average price
(MAP) of $0.038 per kilowatt hour for distribution, supply and metering
charges. It would reflect on customers’ bills starting this month until
June 30, 2013.

Under the increase, a household with an average monthly consumption
of 200 kwh should expect a 16.4-percent increase in MAP from $0.024 per
kwh to $0.029 per kwh. The Philippine Starreported
that “households consuming 201-300 per kilowatts-hour should expect a
12-percent increase to $0.036 per kwh from $0.032 per kwh while those
with an average consumption of 301-400 kWh will bear a 9.8-percent
increase to $0.043 per kwh from $0.040 per kwh.”

Electricity rate increase

Mothers say they would be electrocuted with the unabated increase in electric rates(Photo courtesy of Rhoda Manglalan / bulatlat.com)

Nañoz said they have several energy-saving measures at home. But it
was not enough to keep their electric bill from going beyond what they
could afford to pay. To keep from getting their supply cut, Nañoz is
pondering on the possibility of borrowing money from loan sharks. She is
also clueless on how they would be able to further limit their electric
consumption.

The increase in the electricity rates, she added, has brought
“headaches” to their family. “Where are we going to get that much money
this soon? Since there are four families living in our house, we need to
come up with $17 each family.”

“We hardly ever use any of our appliances at home. We do not own a
television set or a refrigerator. We only have three electric fans,
three fluorescent lamps and four small light bulbs,” Nañoz said, adding
that they turn off the lights at night and even their electric fans due
to the rainy weather for the past few days..... MORE

If passed, an amendment in the Agricultural Appropriations Bill will
not just allow, but require the secretary of agriculture to grant
permits for planting or cultivating GM crops – even if a federal court
has given an injunction against it.

Basically, all Monsanto and other biotech companies have to do is ask
and the industry gets its way. Issues like crop contamination, damage
to farmers or consumers, courts orders or USDA studies all go out the
window and the biotech industry cashes in.

Organizations like Food Democracy Now are in a panic, calling all to petition against the bill, which they say “fundamentally
undermines the concept of judicial review and would strip judges of
their constitutional mandate to protect consumer rights and the
environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new
untested genetically engineered crops, endangering farmers, consumers
and the environment.”.... MORE

If passed, an amendment in the Agricultural Appropriations Bill will
not just allow, but require the secretary of agriculture to grant
permits for planting or cultivating GM crops – even if a federal court
has given an injunction against it.

Basically, all Monsanto and other biotech companies have to do is ask
and the industry gets its way. Issues like crop contamination, damage
to farmers or consumers, courts orders or USDA studies all go out the
window and the biotech industry cashes in.

Organizations like Food Democracy Now are in a panic, calling all to petition against the bill, which they say “fundamentally
undermines the concept of judicial review and would strip judges of
their constitutional mandate to protect consumer rights and the
environment, while opening up the floodgates for the planting of new
untested genetically engineered crops, endangering farmers, consumers
and the environment.”.... MORE

Britain’s nuclear industry is again the center of controversy. The UK
has the biggest stockpile of Plutonium in the world, but there are no
definite plans for how to get rid of it – and the delays are costing the
UK taxpayer billions.

­A record number of radioactive particles have been found on beaches
near the Sellafield nuclear plant, in North West England. The
authorities who run it admit it’s the most radioactive place in Western
Europe but insist it’s safe.

Sellafield is where all storage of
radioactive materials and nuclear reprocessing in the UK takes place. It
was once at the heart of plutonium manufacturing for the British atomic
weapons program.

Despite the controversy that surrounds the
plant, there are plans to build new reactors at Sellafield. The
government has approved initial plans to build a fast PRISM reactor on
the site. Most locals are against it. They want the UK government to
commission a safety study into Sellafield’s effects on the health of the
local population..... MORE

“The arrest of Agnes was meant to sow fear among the people in the
attempt to plunder the rich mineral resources and displace
resisting communities for large-scale mining operations. “ – Rural
Missionaries of the Philippines

By RONALYN V. OLEA Bulatlat.com
MANILA – An advocate against large-scale destructive mining was detained and charged with common crimes.

Agnes Mesina, 40, a lay worker of the Rural Missionaries of the
Philippines (RMP) – Cagayan Valley, was arrested July 4 at a coffee shop
in Tuguegarao City by elements of the Philippine National Police Region
(PNP) 2 together with the Tuguegarao City PNP. The arrest took place in
the presence of ACT Teachers Party-List Rep. Antonio Tinio who, at that
time, was meeting with Mesina along with organizers of the local
chapter of ACT Teachers Party-List. They had just come from a
consultation with public school teachers.
Mesina has been charged with frustrated murder of a certain Ernesto
Belen, a barangay captain of Luga, Sta. Teresita, Cagayan. She was
detained overnight at the Tuguegarao City police station and was
transferred to the Aparri Trial Court the next day. She was released
after posting bail amounting to P20,000.

“We believe that the action is devious and related to her public
advocacy of people’s rights against mining operations and other
developmental projects that destroy the environment and sources of
livelihood of peasant folk in Cagayan Valley. In the past months, she
helped form alliances of church people, farmers, youth, and
professionals to intensify people’s anti-mining advocacy and campaigns
in the region that prick the consciences of (the) powers that be,”
leaders of various Church denominations said in a joint statement.

Sr. Minela Alvarez of the Religious of the Good Shepherd in Isabela,
Fr. Clarence Olat of the Episcopal Diocese of Santiago, Fr. Roderick
Labog of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente-Diocese of Isabela, Fr.
Candido Adriano, CssR of the Task Force dor the Orientation of Church
Personnel
Mission and Fr. Charly Ricafort, MI of the Task Force for Urban
Conscientization signed the statement condemning the arrest of Mesina.
The last two Church groups are mission partners of the Association of
Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines (AMRSP).

Sr.M. Francis Añover,RSM, RMP national coordinator, described Mesina
as a “trusted” lay co-worker of Sister Mela Alvarez, RGS, the
RMP-Cagayan Valley coordinator..... MORE